Australia moves towards food irradiation

In 1999, the 10-year moratorium on food irradiation in Australia was 
lifted, allowing for approval on a case-by-case basis. Steritech, an 
Australian irradiation company with facilities in Melbourne and Sydney, 
submitted the first food irradiation application for herbs, spices, tea, 
and nuts. The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) granted 
permission for the irradiation of herbs, spices, and tea in September 
2001.

Around the same time, this company also sought approval to build a new 
gamma irradiation facility in Northern Queensland, in the appropriately 
named Deception Bay.

Although no environmental impact study has been carried out, and the 
proposed area is in a wildlife corridor and adjacent to a "protected" 
paperbark wetland, the Federal Environment Minister granted environmental 
approval for the plant.

In the same vein, the Queensland State Government sold Steritech state land 
for the plant's site, despite the ALP's platform that it "will prohibit the 
establishment of nuclear irradiation facilities in Queensland".

Although Steritech denies that the plant will be used to irradiate food, 
all evidence indicates otherwise.

In fact, one of Steritech's brochures states specifically that the plant 
will be a "boost to the Queensland economy, as increased export sales will 
be generated as a result of being able to irradiate fruit and other produce 
for the export market."

In the meantime, the San Diego-based irradiation company SureBeam has set 
up a satellite office in Northern Queensland and submitted its own 
application to ANZFA to irradiate tropical fruits for export to New 
Zealand, the United States, Japan, and European countries.

If this petition is granted approval, it would provide blanket permission 
to irradiate tropical fruits in Australia, including in Steritech's new 
gamma facility.

Building has begun and protestors are maintaining a 24-hour presence on the 
site, despite the arrest of protestors and the erection of a wall to keep 
them out.

As well as the campaign in Australia, activists in the US have joined in 
condemning the construction of the new irradiation facilities and opposing 
the export of irradiated food.

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For more information or a sample protest letter to Queensland Premier 
Peter Beattie visit Public Citizen's website:

http://action.citizen.org/